8 research outputs found
Terahertz probing of anisotropic conductivity and morphology of CuMnAs epitaxial thin films
Antiferromagnetic CuMnAs thin films have attracted attention since the
discovery of the manipulation of their magnetic structure via electrical,
optical, and terahertz pulses of electric fields, enabling convenient
approaches to the switching between magnetoresistive states of the film for the
information storage. However, the magnetic structure and, thus, the efficiency
of the manipulation can be affected by the film morphology and growth defects.
In this study, we investigate the properties of CuMnAs thin films by probing
the defect-related uniaxial anisotropy of electric conductivity by contact-free
terahertz transmission spectroscopy. We show that the terahertz measurements
conveniently detect the conductivity anisotropy, that are consistent with
conventional DC Hall-bar measurements. Moreover, the terahertz technique allows
for considerably finer determination of anisotropy axes and it is less
sensitive to the local film degradation. Thanks to the averaging over a large
detection area, the THz probing also allows for an analysis of strongly
non-uniform thin films. Using scanning near-field terahertz and electron
microscopies, we relate the observed anisotropic conductivity of CuMnAs to the
elongation and orientation of growth defects, which influence the local
microscopic conductivity. We also demonstrate control over the morphology of
defects by using vicinal substrates.Comment: 33 pages, 16 figure
Microscopic measurements of the properties of nanostructured silicon thin films
katedra fyzikální elektronik
Nanoscale characterization of ultra-thin tungsten films deposited by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering
In this article, atomic force microscopy was used for nanoscale characterization of ultra-thin tungsten films which were deposited on silicon substrate. Radio-frequency magnetron sputtering was used for tungsten deposition on the surface. © 2015 IEEE
InGaN/GaN Structures: Effect of the Quantum Well Number on the Cathodoluminescent Properties
International audienc
A detailed mechanism of degradation behaviour of biodegradable as-ECAPed Zn-0.8Mg-0.2Sr with emphasis on localized corrosion attack
In this study, advanced techniques such as atom probe tomography, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to determine the corrosion mechanism of the as-ECAPed Zn-0.8Mg-0.2Sr alloy. The influence of microstructural and surface features on the corrosion mechanism was investigated. Despite its significance, the surface composition before exposure is often neglected by the scientific community. The analyses revealed the formation of thin ZnO, MgO, and MgCO3 layers on the surface of the material before exposure. These layers participated in the formation of corrosion products, leading to the predominant occurrence of hydrozincite. In addition, the layers possessed different resistance to the environment, resulting in localized corrosion attacks. The segregation of Mg on the Zn grain boundaries with lower potential compared with the Zn-matrix was revealed by atom probe tomography and atomic force microscopy. The degradation process was initiated by the activity of micro-galvanic cells, specifically Zn – Mg2Zn11/SrZn13. This process led to the activity of the crevice corrosion mechanism and subsequent attack to a depth of 250 μm. The corrosion rate of the alloy determined by the weight loss method was 0.36 mm·a−1. Based on this detailed study, the degradation mechanism of the Zn-0.8Mg-0.2Sr alloy is proposed
Investigating inhomogeneous electronic properties of radial junction solar cells using correlative microscopy
International audienc